Sanatan Archive

Kanyādāna’ is on the news this wedding season for strange – though not totally unexpected – reasons both in India and globally. Part of it was sparked by an ad from Manyavar – makers of “Indian ethnic wear” — which seemed to try to raise awareness that a daughter was not an object to be ‘given away’^[1].

75 years ago a bomb blast occurred in the central hall of national assembly New Delhi on 8th April 1929, the echo of that bomb blast, still vibrates in the ears of many Indian who have a dream for "revolution" and those are active in political and historical circle in India. According to the text of statement of Bhagat Singh and Battu Keshwar Dutt, which was given on June 6, 1929 in the bomb-trial court "revolution" means the ultimate establishment of an order of society in which the sovereignty of the proletariat should be recognized and a world federation should redeem humanity from the bondage of capitalism and misery of Imperial Wars". This spirit of revolution motivates the down traders and frightened the Capitalist and Imperialist.

Jag Mohan, Bhagat Singh’s nephew and an eminent writer, states that it is wrong just to celebrate the birth-centenary of Bhagat Singh alone. Mother Vidyadevi, his grandmother and Bhagat Singh’s mother, always maintained that no picture could be complete by including her son only, as Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru lived and sacrificed themselves for their nation together. She always kept Rajguru’s Sholapuri shoes and Sukhdev’s kulla along with the personal belongings of her son.

The revolt of 1857 was the first major armed insurrection launched by the Indians against the British Raj. It was the time when the draconian policies along with the oppressive laws of the British government were exploiting the lives of Indians.

The year was 1930. The Civil Disobedience Movement was in full throttle—police brutality was equally strong. Fight and perish — this was the spirit of patriotism that was conspicuous in every freedom fighter across India during British rule.

In 2017, India’s national song Vande Mataram was mired in debate once again. Following the Madras High Court’s order to make Vande Mataram compulsory in schools and government and private offices, a loathsome politics was triggered over the national song in Maharashtra.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day, also known as Shaheedi Diwas is observed annually on 24 November. People across the country pay their homage to the ninth of ten Sikh Gurus, who was fierce supporters of religious freedom, on this day. The day marks the death anniversary of the ninth Sikh Guru.

History is replete with examples of valour, grit and determination exhibited by India’s freedom fighters against the British Raj. While some of them featured prominently in history textbooks, others never received their deserved recognition. Even freedom fighters, who put down their lives for their motherland, also disappeared into oblivion. Such has been the case of Bengal’s first female martyr, Pritilata Waddedar. She made the supreme sacrifice on this day (September 23), 89 years ago.

The fight for Indian Independence has generally been projected as being male dominated, with focus on well known male leaders purportedly fighting for India’s freedom. However, that has not always been the case, and in some recent studies it has been clearly seen that how women once inspired by various revolutionary leaders played active roles on their own, and how many of them were direct participants in the nationalistic revolutionary activities that took place in Bengal, Punjab, and Maharashtra.

“History is always written wrong, and so always needs to be rewritten” – this quote by philosopher George Santayana holds true, especially in the Indian context. For decades, academic history textbooks featured a one-sided and distorted narrative; stories of resistance by the warriors of the soil find no place. It continues to this day.